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Chapter 12

It was nighttime in Howling Grove. Somewhere under the full moon, a safe distance away from Duskprowler's den, three she-werewolves stood. One was of a grayish brown, one was pure white, and one was jet-black. Their names were Elise, Anabelle, and Rose.

“Alright, Rose, what's going on?" the white one asked, her brow somewhat furrowed in mild annoyance.

“Nothing, really. I just needed to get both of you out of there, that's all," the jet-black one admitted with a nonchalant flick of the tail.

“Huh? But why? Didn't you see that we were—"

“Yeah, I saw," said Rose. “I had been there for several minutes, and heard enough to get the gist of it. That girl was dying, and your son had to soma-bond her to save her life, right?"

“Wha— Are you telling me you were eavesdropping on us?" Anabelle exclaimed, indignant.

“Eh, that isn't important. What's important here is that neither of you were needed there anymore."

“...What do you mean?" asked the she-werewolf with the white coat of fur, cocking an eyebrow quizzically.

“I mean that you already did your part, Anabelle. Now, the rest is up to your son, as it should be."

“Um..." Elise interjected. “We were just trying to break the news to her that she's a werewolf now, and that Duskprowler is her mate. That's a lot to wake up to, don't you think? So, you know, we were trying to be tactful about it."

“Yeah, I get all that," said Rose. “And I will say you two did a great job explaining the basics and stuff. Why, you even got her to name her lycca and give him permission to speak her own name, all without revealing what he actually is! That's kind of impressive, I'll admit."

“Yeah, well, we would have told her the rest if you hadn't interrupted us!" the white lycca-vanni said with an annoyed growl. “We were almost there, you know?"

“Yes, I know, but you already did more than enough. Now it's time for you to step aside and let your son do the rest."

“B-but my Duskprowler—"

“But 'your' Duskprowler is a full-grown lycca who can handle himself," Rose told her, taking a firm stance. “He isn't a cub anymore, Anabelle. As his mother, you owe it to him to let him court his vanni on his own. Or are you telling me you don't have faith in him?"

“I— I'm not— T-that isn't—!" the snow-white she-werewolf stuttered, finding herself unable to formulate a response.

“Rose-vanni has a point, my angel-vanni," suddenly spoke the gravelly voice of a certain male werewolf.

“D...Darkhowl..."

“I, too, believe that this is something our son must do by himself," said the large alpha male as he approached his vanni-mate. “We should not interfere with something that ultimately only concerns his vanni and him. After all, this is their journey, not ours."

“I... I just wanted to make sure everything went well... for his sake," tearfully said Anabelle as she let her lycca-mate gently pull her into his arms. “He... had been dreaming of this day for so long, and I... I just don't want to see him end up with a broken heart..."

“I understand," said Darkhowl while consoling her through the loving warmth of his embrace. “Of course, I also wish for nothing to go wrong between them, but... If that vanni chooses to say no, then all we can do is accept it. After all, that choice belongs to her, and her alone. You know that, right?"

“...Yes, I know."

“Regardless, I have faith in our son," he said, giving Anabelle a comforting smile. “We raised him well, my angel-vanni. I do believe we can trust him to do what is best for his vanni-mate — even renouncing their soma bond, if it came to that. But I still think it will all turn out well for the both of them in the end. So let us just leave their fates in their hands, where they belong, shall we?"

Anabelle sighed, defeated.

“...Alright, you win," she conceded, trying to put on her best smile of acceptance after wiping her tears. “I'll leave them alone for the rest of the night... and whatever happens, happens."

“There we go," said Darkhowl, happy to see her smiling again. “One way or the other, everything will be fine, you will see."

And so, neither Elise nor Anabelle returned to Duskprowler's den that night.

~*~

In a small cave somewhere in Howling Grove, a beautiful blond girl of twenty years of age sat in bed with only a sheet covering her naked body. Next to her, a large male wolf kept her company, sitting quietly by her side as her idle hand petted his thick lupine fur.

“Ah, I still don't know what to do, Duskprowler," she said with a sigh. “Anabelle and Elise are positive I belong here, but... I'm still not sure what exactly 'here' is, you know?"

The wolf only watched her as she shared her thoughts with him.

“They said this is kind of like a safe haven women like me escape to; a hidden community in the middle of the forest called Howling Grove. And we're all apparently paired up with a wolf here for some reason," the girl — Natalie — continued. “I can't help but wonder what's up with that. I guess they train wolves to be our companions or something?"

She turned to look at her wolf as if searching for an answer that kept eluding her.

“Oh, well. Even if I don't understand it, I can't deny you've been a very good boy so far, and a great listener as well!" she said with a smile. “To be honest, I wouldn't mind keeping you... so long as you promise me you'll never eat my face!"

Duskprowler lowered his big head onto her lap and let out a little whine while still looking up at her as a dog would its revered master.

“Yeah... The truth is, I don't know if I'm a good fit for this place," Natalie confessed while gently petting the large canine beast behind the ears. “As great as it sounds, there's still a lot of complicated stuff about it that I don't fully understand, like that 'vanni' thing, or the 'call of the forest,' or that 'soma bond' they also mentioned..."

She sighed.

“But the part that really gives me pause is... that whole thing with Anabelle's son."

Duskprowler's ears jerked and stood upright in reaction to this.

“I mean, sure, I suppose he saved my life somehow," Natalie continued. “But how does that make me his soul mate or whatever? It doesn't make any sense to me, and yet both Anabelle and Elise seemed convinced it's our destiny or something like that. Hell, I haven't even met the guy yet!"

The wolf watched her with pleading eyes as she spoke those words, still choosing to remain silent.

“And to be honest, I don't think I even want to meet him. They could tell me he's the sweetest soul in the world, but at the end of the day he's still a man, you know? And God knows I loathe men with a burning passion. As far as I'm concerned, they're all pigs, every single one of them."

Duskprowler could not suppress a little whine.

“Oh, no, not you, Duskie," she said, turning to him while stroking the fur of his neck. “You're nothing like those heartless bastards, believe me. In fact, I'd rather you be my soul mate than any of them. Wolf or not, at least I know you won't hurt me like they did."

Natalie offered him a little smile, but there was more on her mind...

“So, yeah, that's why I'm not sure I belong here. Not if it means being paired with some guy I've never even seen, whether I owe him my life or not. No offense to Anabelle, of course, but... Unless she understands where I'm coming from, and accepts it, I might just have to leave. Ah, but don't you worry: even if that were to happen, you can still come with me wherever I go."

'Then again, maybe I'll have to leave either way,' she continued in her thoughts. 'Now that the fog in my mind has cleared, and I got my shit back together, I can't just stay here knowing Adelaide is still trapped in that hellhole with Mr. Raoul. Somehow, someway, I'll have to return to Roud. I need to see her again, even if it kills me.'

Natalie leaned back, casting a melancholic gaze upon the ceiling of the den.

“Ah, Duskprowler... Honestly, should I decide to leave, you'd be better off staying here with Anabelle and her friends instead of coming with me," she sighed. “You have no idea just how difficult the human world is. There's so much pain and misery out there, like you wouldn't believe. It really is a godless world where all hope goes to die, but I guess that's just mankind's nature for you."

She let her delicate fingers run through the thick fur at the base of the wolf's head, scratching his nape softly.

“If only you knew how lucky you are that you don't have to deal with any of that shit. In fact, I wish I was born a wolf myself, so that I could just run free through the woods without a care in the world," wistfully said the girl, closing her eyes. “Oh, how wonderful that would have been..."

For a moment she just remained there, eyes closed as she imagined herself as a wolf in the woods; a free spirit bound to nothing but the simplest desires of her own soaring heart. But then, her wishful daydream was cut short as she felt Duskprowler start moving. “Huh?" Natalie uttered as she saw the wolf stepping off the bed. “Where are you going?"

The large beast, however, did not go very far. In fact, he only took a couple steps before turning and sitting on the ground, facing Natalie. And then, he raised his gaze and looked at her in the eye. The young woman gasped. There was something different in Duskprowler's amber eyes; something like... a glint. A very particular, unmistakable glint, in fact: that of a sentient, sapient mind staring back at her.

“Y-you..." quietly said the blond girl as she tried to read the mysterious look the wolf was giving her. “...What are you?"

“I am a lycca, Natalie-vanni. Your lycca."

Natalie's entire body became stiff as her blood froze in her veins, her own eyes opening very, very wide in utter shock. Her jaw hung motionless for what seemed like ages, only quivering soundlessly every now and then. Was she even breathing?

“You... You... You can talk!" she finally managed to say, hardly believing what had just happened before her very stunned eyes.

“I certainly can."

“B-b-b-but... You're a wolf!"

“I am more than a wolf. As I said before, I am a lycca," Duskprowler calmly said. “Or, in other words, I am what you might call a werewolf."

“A— a werewolf??" she asked, unconsciously pulling the bed sheet tighter to keep herself covered.

“Indeed. I had not talked before because Mother advised me to remain silent until she felt you were ready for it, but I simply could not wait any longer."

“Y-your mother?" she asked as her brain made the connection only a split second later.

“Yes. Anabelle-vanni is my mother. She, too, is a werewolf, as is her good friend Elise-vanni," the wolf explained, still sitting on the ground. “In fact, all of us here in Howling Grove have lyccan blood running through our veins... and that includes you as well."

“...Me?" Natalie said, utterly overwhelmed by it all.

“Remember: I was the one who saved you, Natalie-vanni," he said. “To do that, I had no choice but to grant you the gift of change through the bite of my fangs, thus turning you into one of us. It was the only way I could save your life."

Slowly, everything began to make sense to Natalie. Anabelle's son and Duskprowler were, and had always been, one and the same. And she only survived because he had bitten her.

“Y-you're saying I'm... a werewolf now?"

“Yes, you are a lycca-vanni, just like Mother and all the other vanni in Howling Grove. And just like them, you can shift your body into that of a wolf, and you can also shift into a two-legged form that is halfway between human and lycca."

“I can... transform?" she said incredulously.

“Well, not at the moment, but I will help you achieve that in due time, of course."

As Natalie sat there, digesting all of this, it began to dawn on her that she was effectively mated to Duskprowler. Anabelle's words, now cast under the light of these new revelations, certainly seemed to imply as much.

'She had said that her son and I are soul mates, destined to be together,' the young woman recalled, alarmed, 'and that we are all paired up with a wolf — or rather a werewolf — for life here. D-does that mean Duskprowler and I... Oh, God, is— is he going to have sex with me??'

Natalie looked at the wolf with fear in her eyes.

“A-Anabelle said you and I have something called a soma bond," she nervously said. “What does that mean?"

“It means our hearts are linked together on a spiritual level, Natalie-vanni," he replied, his ears twitching a little. “I am sorry. That was an unavoidable effect of saving your life through my bite. It simply could not be helped."

“And... W-what does that mean for us? What does this 'soma bond' make us?"

“It simply makes you my treasured vanni; and I, your faithful lycca," he said. “In essence, it makes us each other's mate."

'He absolutely expects to have sex with me!!' she gasped, horrified. 'Did I really escape from Mr. Vert only to end up claimed by a wolf? What kind of a cruel joke is this? Why can't I ever be more than just a thing for men to rail? If... if this is what 'freedom' means to Anabelle and the others, then... Then I—'

“That is, of course, unless you decide you do not want me in your life," Duskprowler continued, jolting Natalie away from her doomful thoughts. “As Mother had said, there are ways to sever the bond. It would be as simple as rejecting the Moon Stone you will be handed in a few days. But before you make your decision, I would humbly ask you to please give me a chance."

“A chance... for what?" she cautiously asked.

“A chance to show you what I can offer you as your soma-bonded lycca-mate," he said.

“...What exactly can you offer me?"

“My unconditional loyalty, as well as my heart, of course. They are both yours by birthright, my Natalie-vanni. Stay with me, and I promise I shall do everything in my power to make you the happiest vanni you can possibly be."

“...Why?"

“Because making our vanni happy is what gives meaning to our lives. It is simply the very reason for which we lycca are born."

Natalie couldn't detect the faintest trace of deceit in his words. He really seemed to be talking with utmost sincerity, speaking only the truth. But could a werewolf really make her as happy as he claimed? And even then, did that mean she had to let him mount her in return? Because, as his mate, that'd simply be what would be expected of her, right?

“It does not take a soma bond for me to see what is going on through your mind right now, Natalie-vanni. Your eyes speak volumes," stated the wolf, moving his tail from one side to the other. “Of course, you wonder about what it might entail for us to be mated. However, if there is one thing you can be sure of, it is this: I shall never, ever force you to do anything against your will. In fact, I will not even touch you without your consent. And if you would rather not mate with me at all, then so be it. After all, the desires of a vanni always — and I mean always — come before the desires of her lycca."

What? Consent? A male respecting her boundaries, and even treating her — a woman — like a person? That couldn't possibly be real, right? And yet... something deep inside her just wanted to believe it. No, she needed to.

“Duskprowler..." she began, still clutching the bed sheet close to her chest, but perhaps not quite as tightly as before. “When you look at me, what exactly do you see?"

“I see a beautiful young vanni who has endured years of untold misery and abuse through no fault of her own," he said, lowering his head ever-so-slightly. “I see a once-innocent soul heavy with the scars of countless wounds, each of them the mark of a never-ending struggle the likes of which I could not possibly imagine. And I also see a heart that has drowned in a lifetime's worth of pain, fear, and utter powerlessness, having long given up on any sort of hope. It certainly is a harrowing sight to behold."

“...So you can see all that, huh," said Natalie, surprised by the accuracy of his assessment. “Yeah, my life was... not the greatest, to say the least. I guess God hated my guts or something."

“Well, you can be sure I will strive to give you back all the hope that was cruelly taken from you, and more," said the wolf, lifting his head back up.

“Hope..." the girl repeated as though she couldn't remember what that word even meant. “They beat that out of me ages ago. Good luck bringing it back from the dead, I guess."

“But you are not dead, Natalie-vanni. Life itself is hope, and you still have yours. I can help you rebuild the rest from there, if you would let me."

'Ah, yes. Life may be hope, sure, but I'm afraid there isn't a future for me, Duskprowler,' she resignedly thought to herself. 'Since I have Mr. Vert's blood on my hands, my life will be over the moment I set foot back in Roud. That's just the price I'll have to pay for the chance to see Addie one more time...'

The ears of the wolf twitched suddenly. 'W-what was that?' he wondered, startled. 'Just now, from Natalie-vanni's heart— It was only for a moment, but I could have sworn I felt... something.'

“Say..." the young blonde spoke, inadvertently disrupting Duskprowler's train of thought. “I was wondering, how come your mother and her friend were both in their human form, but not you?"

“Oh— N-no, that is..." the wolf began, clumsily tripping over his own words as he recovered from said disruption. “We lycca do not possess a human form. Only lycca-vanni do."

“I see. So I guess the stories of men cursed to transform under a full moon aren't really true."

“Those are just baseless myths, indeed. As you can see, we are simply wolves blessed with the ability to both understand and speak human language."

“And don't forget the glowing eyes," she added with the faintest hint of a smile. “I mean, at first I thought they were reflecting the light from that oil lamp in some weird way, but now I'm sure they just glow."

“Ah, yes, our irises do possess a certain luminescence, as you have noted. I believe it helps us to see better in the night," explained the big wolf, suddenly feeling a little self-conscious about his eyes. “That said, there is still one more thing separating us from regular wolves, and it is the fact that we can change into the two-legged form I mentioned before."

“Oh, so you do have another form!"

“Yes, that is correct. Although perhaps it is not a form you may be ready to see just yet," he said in an apologetic tone, lowering his ears while averting his gaze a little. “So, for now, I will simply say it is a very tall, very muscular form that emphasizes our nature as apex predators. I shall show it to you later, once you are able to transform at will as well."

Natalie hummed for a moment, and then she simply said:

“No. Just show me now."

“A-are you sure?" he asked concernedly, raising his haunches off the ground to stand on his four legs. “You have only just started to get more comfortable around me in my current form. I seriously fear that all this progress will be lost if I showed you my other form this soon, so I must ask you to please reconsider."

“It's that scary, huh," she said, acknowledging Duskprowler's warning. “Well, whether you think I'm ready or not, it just can't be helped. If we're supposed to be soma-bonded soul mates or whatever, then I need to see exactly what I'm dealing with here, and I need to see it now."

The wolf stood there for a few seconds of stunned silence, and then spoke:

“Very well. If that is your wish, then so be it," he said, lowering his ears in defeat. “Just remember that, although my body may change into something you might consider more 'monstrous' in appearance, it will still be me. So please do not be afraid, my Natalie-vanni."

“Alright, show me. Let's see how bad it really is."

Duskprowler had no choice but to comply, so that's what he did.

With a sigh, he rose over his widening hind legs, growing in size and bulk as his torso and forelimbs became more humanlike. Every muscle in his shifting body expanded and became more frighteningly defined under his fur — a clear sign of the terrifying strength that form undoubtedly possessed. Meanwhile, his tail extended proportionally as his forepaws grew into huge, beastly hands with curved razor-sharp claws designed to rend flesh. Even his fangs grew sharper and longer, adding to his increasingly ferocious look.

And then, at last, the transformation was complete. Before Natalie now stood a full-fledged werewolf in the flesh. He positively towered over her like a mighty mountain of doom, gazing down into her widened eyes from his new height. The poor girl naively thought she could handle it, but Duskprowler's fears weren't unfounded. Just as he had thought, she wasn't even remotely ready for that.

Indeed, the young woman was paralyzed; her very heart seized by the purest, rawest terror she had ever felt. It was as though she was looking at Death itself. Her body shivered helplessly, and cold sweat rolled down her pale, fear-stricken face as she gasped like a suffocating fish. Why, her frozen muscles wouldn't even let her shriek! Certainly, she felt like a cornered mouse staring into the gaping maw of its feline captor.

“Natalie-vanni, please, calm down. Breathe," the huge werebeast tried. “It is still me, and look: I am only standing here. I have no intention of taking even a single step toward you, so please breathe. Nothing is going to happen to you, I promise."

Slowly, the icy claw of fear began to release its death grip on Natalie's heart. Duskprowler's voice was still the same, even if it was now coming from a towering werebeast with spine-chilling claws and teeth, and she recognized it as such. Very calmly, he continued telling her to breathe and relax as the cold sweat stopped and her face regained its natural coloration.

After about five long minutes of that, Natalie was more or less back to normal. She was still wary of the terrifying appearance of the werewolf in front of her, of course, but at least she wasn't such a shivering mess anymore.

'I... could have never imagined something like this,' she thought to herself as she beheld the imposing form of the apex predator. 'With claws and fangs like those, how could I possibly not fear for my life? Even if he keeps saying he won't hurt me, I can't help but feel like I'm just a hair's width away from a very horrible and gruesome death!'

“You still fear me, Natalie-vanni," he said, his bushy tail bobbing slowly behind him. “I had warned you of this. But please remember that underneath all these muscles, teeth and claws — deadly as they might appear — I am still the same Duskprowler who has pledged his undying loyalty to you. Open the eyes of your soma, and you will see that I speak the truth."

'Oh, my god...' she gasped inwardly as his words reminded her of who he was. 'T-that's right; only moments ago I was petting him as he lay by my side with his head on my lap, wasn't I? Then again, I didn't know he was a werewolf! But now I do, and I... just can't believe this is happening!'

“...Y-you had warned me you'd grow tall, but... I still never expected you'd become so... h-huge!" she warily said, her voice wavering with barely contained fear.

“Yes, well, I have been told I take after my father, who might quite possibly be the strongest lycca in our pack."

'What? His father is like him too? Y-you're telling me that white-haired girl, Anabelle, slept with a monster just as terrifyingly large as the werewolf in front of me, and lived? But... how? Just how in the hell did she even survive??' a very shocked Natalie exclaimed in her mind's voice.

“D-Duskprowler..." she spoke, struggling to push the words out. “I thought I was brave enough to handle this, but... I'm not. Even if you keep telling me not to panic, I don't think I can help it. I... I'm afraid this might be too much for me."

“No, you are brave," he earnestly assured her. “It is simply that your heart has not yet been able to see past my outward appearance. But that is only natural, considering how sudden all of this must have been for you. Still, I do not believe this is hopeless. The soma bond will yet prevail, if only you would dare give it another chance."

“...A-another chance? What do you mean?" Natalie asked, raising an eyebrow.

“When you first saw me as a wolf, you were terrified of me, so I lay down next to you, and simply gave your heart time to understand that I was not a threat. Eventually, you became accustomed to my presence, and even got comfortable enough with it to pet my fur without fear," he calmly explained. “You may have not realized at the time, but that was our bond connecting us."

“So... W-what are you suggesting we do?"

“We need to be physically close to one another again as I stand in this form. Only then will your heart finally see that I truly mean you no harm whatsoever. Now, of course, I shall not take a single step towards you, as those steps are not mine to take. So you will have to come to me instead, Natalie-vanni. Do you think you can do it?"

“I... don't know. If— if I did that, what are you going to do with me?" she worriedly asked.

“Nothing other than showing you that I am still the same wolf you had been so comfortable with before. To accomplish that, I will simply hold you in my arms for a few moments. It will be just a hug, and nothing more."

Natalie didn't know what to do. On one hand, Duskprowler never once showed any sign that he was lying. His intentions seemed sincere, and his words rang true. Certainly, a part of her wanted to believe him. After all, he hadn't hurt her yet, so why would he start now? But on the other hand, he still was a massive werebeast who looked like he could maul her any way he wanted, at any given time...

The lycca, fully aware of his vanni's internal turmoil, eventually dropped onto one knee in an effort to look less intimidating.

“Please, Natalie-vanni," he openly begged as he stretched his arms outwards, “I implore you to trust me just this once. Trust your lycca and come to my arms, which shall always protect you. I am your vassal, my vanni, and I will not let anyone bring harm upon you ever again."

Natalie looked at him waiting for her on one knee.

'It... it's just a hug,' she told herself inwardly over and over as she began to move. 'Just a hug, nothing more. He will simply hold me in his arms, and that's it. Nothing else will happen. Just a hug. Just a hug...'

Very, very slowly, she dragged herself out of the bed, then started to walk the short distance that separated her from Duskprowler. Of course, she had brought the bed sheet with her, as it was the only thing covering her naked body. 'It's going to be alright. It's just a hug,' she kept repeating in her mind like a mantra as her bared feet took her closer and closer to the waiting werebeast.

At long last, the very vulnerable vanni stood before her frighteningly fearsome lycca. Her eyes were shut, as the lingering feeling of impending doom wouldn't let her open them. 'Oh, god, this is it,' she thought to herself as her body shivered helplessly under the sheet. 'This is how I die.'

The poor girl went rigid from head to toe the instant she felt Duskprowler's arms wrapping around her. The next thing she knew, she was almost completely engulfed in his fur, as he had pulled her close to his chest. Natalie cringed with her eyes still shut as she waited for whatever gory death he was surely going to give her.

But, of course, that never happened. Instead of rending her flesh, that massive clawed hand of his simply began to stroke her beautiful blond hair. Very softly, his padded fingers slid down the locks on the back of her head until reaching her nape. Over and over, he repeated this most delicate motion with great care, cherishing the frightened vanni in his embrace. Natalie opened her eyes wide, having not expected such a gentle touch from the enormous male. 'H-he's stroking my hair like I had stroked his fur when he was a wolf!'

Slowly, the tension began to leave her body as his hands continued to caress her hair with pious devotion. “You now begin to understand, my vanni, what it means to be soma-bonded to a lycca," the large werewolf quietly spoke as he held the young woman in his arms, her face resting on his chest. “There will be fear no more, for you are finally home."

“I'm... home..." Natalie repeated in a whisper as she tried to comprehend that very notion. 'I... I'm home,' she said again inwardly as the loving warmth of his fur enveloped her in ways she was not prepared for. 'This... this is my home. Here, in his arms, I've finally found it: a place I can rightfully call my home!'

Duskprowler felt her fears crumble into dust. He had done it. At last, he had managed to make her feel safe in his embrace. “You will never know pain again," he earnestly affirmed in his soothing voice, still stroking her golden locks with unmatched tenderness. “Here, with me, you can finally be the free vanni you were always meant to be."

Indeed, the all-encompassing protective warmth of the mighty werewolf had changed her. Natalie had never felt so safe before. There, in his strong, muscular arms, the calming scent of his fur made her feel as though no evil in the world could possibly reach her anymore. And so, deep inside her, the little candlewick of her hope was finally rekindled.

As the young woman allowed her mind to drift contentedly within Duskprowler's loving embrace, she could not help but think of the only other person who had ever held her like that. She, too, had stroked her hair with just as much tenderness and devotion, helping to keep that dying flame alive in the face of utter hopelessness.

'T-there it is again!' Duskprowler exclaimed inwardly, sensing the subtle ripples of her emotions through their soma bond. 'I knew I had not imagined it. There is definitely something hidden in the deepest recesses of Natalie-vanni's heart. It appears to radiate... a warm sort of longing? But what could it possibly mean?'

Eventually, the son of Anabelle resolved to look into that mystery at a later time, so he pushed it to the back of his mind. He couldn't afford to get distracted at such a crucial moment; not when he was so close to achieving a major breakthrough. Certainly, only a couple minutes later, he noticed his vanni raising her gaze to meet his.

“I had never felt... anything like this before," she told him as she stared into the arcane wells of infinite compassion that were his eyes. “What... did you do?"

“I only gave you a hug, nothing more," the werewolf told her as he gave her a little smile. “The rest was all you."

“All... me?"

“Of course, for it was you who finally allowed yourself to see me through our soma bond. In doing so, you have at last realized the one truth of this world: that vanni and lycca were made for each other."

'I... was made for him. And he was made for me,' she thought to herself as the momentous importance of that revelation sank in. 'Yes, I see it now. And to think that I would find my salvation in the amber eyes of a werewolf...'

Ah, yes, his eyes... They hadn't changed at all. Whether he stood on two or four legs, his gaze still radiated the same loving devotion he had always had for her.

“Duskprowler," Natalie quietly began, her voice cracking somewhat. “Do you... really care about me that much?"

“I most certainly do," he simply, yet powerfully said. “You are my vanni, whom I have dreamed of since I was but a cub. To me, you are the most important person in the whole world. Of course I care about you, my Natalie-vanni. How could I not, when you are the very reason of my existence?"

As the surreal tide of her emotions heightened, a silent tear rolled down her cheek. She didn't know why she had shed it; it simply happened. Regardless, the big werewolf gently wiped that errant teardrop with his thumb... and then just kept his hand there, his soft palm resting on her cheek. Natalie did not protest, nor did she try to pull it away. Much on the contrary, she raised her own hand to place it on top of his. It was almost as though she was unconsciously trying to keep it where it was.

For a brief eternity they simply stood there, gazing deeply into each other's eyes. Natalie could feel her own heart beating faster as a strange heat began to seize her body. Was it because of how tenderly he was caressing her cheek? Or was it perhaps the result of her getting lost in those two amber suns of his as he did it? Whatever the answer, she simply didn't want that feeling to stop.

“You are so beautiful," he said in a whisper as he leaned closer to her. “Even a nymph would be jealous of such radiant beauty."

Natalie could tell he meant each and every one of those words. He did not speak them lightly in the slightest. 'In my twenty years of life, no man — and I mean not a single one of them — has ever been this nice to me,' she thought as her eyes teared up again. Duskprowler's simple, yet sincere compliment had truly touched her heart.

By that point, the snout of the werewolf was only a mere inch away from her face. His eyes had become her entire world, and as far as she was concerned, nothing else mattered anymore. “Have you ever been kissed before?" he quietly asked her, to which she only shook her head ever so slightly in response, herself still very much lost in the glowing amber of his irises. “Then I shall be the first to taste the honey of your lips."

Natalie didn't say anything. Instead, she just closed her eyes and waited. At that moment, Duskprowler understood that she had just surrendered herself to him in body and soul, essentially putting her fate in his hands. Truly, no more words needed be spoken. She was ready to be claimed, and the mighty werewolf saw no reason to delay the act any further. What would happen was, and had always been, simply inevitable.

Thus, his black lupine lips gently descended on her quivering pink ones, enveloping them completely. His tongue then pushed past them, making its way into her virgin mouth. Natalie's own tongue was easily conquered, falling quickly to the overpowering vigor of the wet invader. And so, as he held her securely in his arms, Duskprowler proceeded to explore every nook and cranny of her mouth with his tongue, effectively asserting his uncontestable dominance over it.

To say the werewolf took Natalie's breath away is an understatement. The young woman simply was not prepared for what her lyccan conqueror was doing with her mouth. Her mind melted as his tongue continued to subdue her own with unparalleled dexterity, sending her to a plane of existence where all was wolf, and wolf was all.

As his lupine tongue continued to unleash such messianic revolution in her mouth, Duskprowler's hands began to remove the bed sheet covering her body, starting with her shoulders. Gently, his clawed fingers slid down the length of her arms, slowly pushing the sheet out of the way as they went. First, only her shoulders and collarbone area were bared, but the shapely mounds of her youthful breasts wouldn't remain concealed for long. Indeed, one rosy nipple soon became exposed, quickly followed by its twin on the other side.

As the bed sheet continued to fall, more and more of Natalie's delightfully smooth skin was revealed. Her maidenly stomach came into view next, as did her cute little navel. The delicate contour of her body was now almost fully uncovered; her very slim waist blossoming into the alluring curves of her womanly hips. Before long, her thighs were bare too, as were her shapely legs.

And so, the sheet completed its descent to the ground. The young woman was now as naked as she was the day she was born. Her mouth was still full of wolf tongue, as Duskprowler hadn't yet broken the kiss, nor was he planning on doing so anytime soon. Of course, she didn't mind one bit. He could tongue-bond her until the end of time if he wanted to; that's just how good it felt.

With the sheet gone, the large hands of the werewolf were finally free to roam everywhere along her back, hungrily pressing her bared body against his own. As their passion mounted, his padded palms and fingers traced the curvilinear shapes of her nubile figure, drinking in the wonderful silk-like smoothness of her skin. Her smaller frame was now practically engulfed in his big muscular arms, to the point where it almost seemed to disappear within his dark lyccan fur.

His lips were still firmly locked onto hers when he stood up, carefully lifting her off the ground as he rose. Then, once he was on his feet, Duskprowler lowered his thoroughly conquered vanni-goddess onto his waiting malehood. Despite its formidable size, his throbbing girth slid effortlessly into the welcoming warmth of her very wet entrance. Of course, there was no pain whatsoever; only pleasure.

Now irrevocably joined as one, the enormous lycca male began to rock his powerful hips back and forth. Over and over, the rhythmic motion of their mating drove his engorged length deeper into her tight womanly depths, hitting spots she didn't even know existed. But Duskprowler knew exactly what he was doing. Indeed, on some level, the young vanni understood that he wasn't just fucking her. No, he was making love to her, and he was incredibly— or even exceptionally good at it, all thanks to their soma bond.

With his tongue so expertly claiming her mouth, and his mighty virile flesh so decisively claiming her carnal shrine, Natalie's mind drifted blissfully in the fuzzy ocean of his scent. He had made her unquestionably his, and she loved it. So much she did, that she even found herself entertaining the possibility of calling him Master. Certainly, at that moment, Duskprowler was the only one whom she felt deserved her total submission. Besides, if he was her master, then no one else could be.

As the vigorous werewolf continued to thrust his sizable alpha-male spear into Natalie's tunnel, some sort of tingling pressure began to build up deep inside her. It felt like nothing she had ever experienced in her life, and seemed to herald the advent of something even greater. The sensation completely seized her whole self as her mind stood on the verge of... whatever was about to go off in her body.

Eventually, all of Duskprowler's prodigious muscles appeared to tense up at once as he buried his engorged length deeper than ever. Natalie then felt it spasm mightily inside her body, releasing jet after jet of his potent werewolf seed directly into her innermost sanctum. Feeling her soma-bonded partner's warm essence flooding her insides was what finally pushed her over the edge. Thus, her mind promptly exploded into a spectacular kaleidoscope of pure bliss.

Time stood still for a few moments as both vanni and lycca rode the waves of their orgasmic climaxes together. Then, and only then, did the werewolf withdraw his tongue from her mouth. Yes, that's correct: their tongue-bonding had indeed lasted for the entire duration of their spirited mating.

Afterwards, Duskprowler gently deposited his vanni on the bed, and then lay down right next to her himself. It took Natalie several minutes to put the blown pieces of her mind back together, which were floating happily in the blissful sea of her afterglow. “What... was that?" she finally said, still gloriously out of breath.

“That was simply a taste of the world I can offer you, my vanni," he quietly replied as he beheld the sheer beauty of his thoroughly satisfied mate. “Thank you for giving me the chance to share it with you."

“A taste, you say? Holy fuck, Duskie. I just— I never knew it was even possible for a woman to feel like this."

“And now you know," he said with a smile on his muzzle. “Welcome to Howling Grove, Natalie-vanni."

“My new home..."

“Your new home, indeed, where you can live your new life as a free lycca-vanni, bound to nothing but the fancies of your heart."

“That sounds wonderful," she said with a smile of her own. “I suppose I wouldn't mind spending the rest of my life in this secret werewolf paradise you guys have here. Especially if that means I'll get to enjoy the warmth of your fur every day as you hug me."

“Of course, my vanni. I will be by your side always."

“You better be."

A few moments of companionable silence ensued as Natalie held Duskprowler's strong lyccan arm close to her naked body, idly feeling the bulging muscle under the fur.

“So, what happens now?" she eventually asked. “What is expected of me as a new vanni joining the pack?"

“Nothing other than simply enjoying yourself," he said, flicking his ears. “Although you can probably look forward to the other lycca-vanni flocking to you tomorrow, as they are always happy to meet new vanni-packmates themselves. I am sure you will end up making many friends among them."

“Ah, yes, the ones I met today — your mother and her friend — had already been so much nicer to me than I was ready for."

“Also, you have yet to experience the world through the eyes of a wolf, and run through the wilderness on the legs of one. Tomorrow I will help you become attuned to your own soma, so that you can make use of the gift of change I granted you through my fangs."

“Heh, me as a wolf? I couldn't even begin to imagine what that would feel like, but it sure sounds like a lot of fun."

“Yes, your senses will be awakened to a whole new dimension of freedom," he promised, caressing her cheek. “Indeed, here in Howling Grove, with your vanni-sisters and me walking by your side, no dream of yours will ever truly be out of reach. You will flourish as is your destiny, and your happiness will be complete."

“Complete..." she quietly repeated in a whisper as her smile slowly faded.

Duskprowler's ears twitched, keenly sensing the shift in her emotions. 'That odd longing I had felt before is flaring again in her heart!' he exclaimed inwardly, looking at her with some worry in his eyes. 'What is it? Does she not believe her happiness could ever truly be complete here? Is there something she sorely needs, that the forest cannot provide her with?'

“What is it, Natalie-vanni?" he finally asked her. “What is troubling you?"

The young woman let out a forlorn sigh.

“Ah, Duskprowler... You have no idea just how much more difficult you made it for me to leave," she said. “I want to stay so badly now, but... I just can't."

“Why is that?"

“Because... I must return to Roud. I need to see her again."

“...'Her'?"

“My best friend in the world: Adelaide. She's the only reason I even survived this long."

'Another vanni?' thought the werewolf, alarmed. 'T-there is hurt emanating from the longing. It hurts her to be separated from this other person. And it is the same kind of hurt a vanni or lycca feels when forcefully separated from their mate! Oh, Goddess, c-could it be that she...'

“Please tell me more about her, Natalie-vanni," he asked concernedly. “Tell me everything."

And so, she told him everything.

Indeed, Natalie told Duskprowler all about Mr. Raoul and the eighteen nightmarish months she had spent trapped in his mansion. She told him about how that detestable man had raped her over and over and over as one of his many sex slaves. And then she told him about Adelaide, another of Mr. Raoul's long-suffering victims, in whom she had found a kindred soul. They had met on the very first day, and stayed inseparably together until the end.

Duskprowler listened as the young woman related to him the story of how she and Adelaide helped each other stay sane in that infernal estate. Together they had endured the unendurable, seeking refuge in one another. Natalie's voice reflected the painful longing in her heart as she reminisced about that other vanni. 'She keeps referring to her as 'her friend,' but what I am sensing through the soma bond tells another story,' he silently noted. 'The way her heart aches for that vanni, it could only mean one thing...'

Eventually, Natalie reached the end of her story: Mr. Raoul had sold her to one Mr. Vert in St. Belaroix, and she never saw Adelaide again. Without the lifeline of her company keeping her sanity afloat, the poor girl gradually lost the will to live. Then, six months later, it all came to a head the day a fork found its way into her hands... Alas, it was too late for Mr. Vert's sudden demise to make much of a difference. Indeed, by that point, Natalie had already long given up on her ever reuniting with Adelaide again.

“...and yet I never stopped thinking about her," she said. “But now that your fangs cleared the 'fog' away, I think I can at least see her one more time... So that's why I just can't stay. I'm sorry, Duskprowler. I'm so, so sorry..."

'It is just as I suspected,' the werewolf thought to himself, his brow furrowing. 'By the holy grace of Mother Moon, my Natalie-vanni is in love with another vanni! I could never have expected something like this! But even if she has not yet realized that herself, I am still her soma-bonded lycca-mate! As such, I simply cannot let her do what she is planning to. I must put my foot down!'

“Natalie-vanni..." he began, looking her in the eye. “You are not thinking of going to Roud City on a suicide mission just to see your friend one last time, right?"

“I..."

“No. Forget it. That is not happening," he growled commandingly. “You will not go there to die; I will not allow it."

“...S-so what, then?" she asked, raising her voice. “Are you just going to keep me here like a prisoner?"

“No, I will do something better," he responded mysteriously.

“Huh?"

“Listen to me well, Natalie-vanni, for this is what is going to happen: first, we are going to Roud together. Then we will rescue Adelaide-vanni, and we will all return here safe and sound."

Duskprowler put his hand on her shoulder, and then continued:

“Remember; you are no longer the helpless vanni you might have once been, and you also have me now. Nothing your heart might desire is truly out of your reach anymore. Besides, I promised you complete happiness, did I not? What kind of lycca would I be if I did not deliver on the promises I make to my vanni?"

Natalie teared up as she gazed into the resolute eyes of her werewolf.

“But..." she eventually said, the waver in her voice betraying her emotions. “Mr. Raoul has a whole battalion of armed bodyguards at his command! E-even if we are werewolves, we just don't stand a chance! It's... It's impossible!"

Holding her hands in his own, Duskprowler gave her a reassuring smile and declared:

“We will make it possible. You just trust me."

To be continued...